1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nozzle and a honeycomb filter production apparatus using the nozzle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-157855 discloses, as an apparatus to be used for producing a honeycomb filter, an apparatus including: a workpiece securing section for securing a base of a honeycomb filter; a powder transfer section provided on one side of the workpiece securing section, for transferring powder as an aerosol together with an air current through use of pressurized gas; an introduction section provided between the powder transfer section and the workpiece securing section, for further mixing the aerosol with another gas and introducing the mixed gas into the base secured in the workpiece securing section at a time of use of the apparatus; and a suction section provided on the other side of the workpiece securing section, for sucking the gas that has passed through the base secured in the workpiece securing section by reducing pressure on the other side of the workpiece securing section as compared to the one side of the workpiece securing section through use of suction means. The honeycomb filter produced by the apparatus can be mainly used, for example, as a diesel particulate filter (DPF) for collecting particulate matter (PM) exhausted from a diesel engine or the like.
The honeycomb filter includes a base formed of a porous body having a honeycomb structure, and collection layers for collecting particulate matter (PM), which are provided on surfaces of a plurality of partition walls that define a plurality of cells in the base. The honeycomb filter production apparatus is configured to form the collection layers through deposition of the powder on the surfaces of the plurality of partition walls in the base by introducing “powder-dispersed gas” (aerosol), which is transferred from the powder transfer section, into the plurality of cells in the base.
In the above-mentioned honeycomb filter, it is preferred that the variation in thickness of the collection layers to be formed be small among the plurality of cells. Therefore, in the case where the above-mentioned collection layers are to be provided on a base for a large honeycomb filter, it is preferred that an aerosol be discharged (ejected) from a plurality of different portions to the base in the powder transfer section.
In the apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-157855, the powder transfer section mainly includes an ejector and a powder feeding device for feeding a predetermined amount of powder. Therefore, in order to eject an aerosol from the plurality of different portions to the base as described above, a plurality of ejectors and a plurality of powder feeding devices are required, which complicates the configuration of the powder transfer section extremely seriously.